Re-presenting the Metropolis

The evolution of an urban self-consciousness in London in the early 19th century played a fundamental role in shaping the city. In this volume, the author explores responses to the city among the urban bourgeoisie and their influence on the experience and development of London. Principal areas of interest include the creation of public open spaces, new roads and bridges, public monuments and buildings for show, including museums, galleries and private townhouses. Evidence of attitudes towards the metropolis is drawn from a range of written sources including contemporary commentators, guidebooks, literature and parliamentary reports and enquiries. The study of sensory responses to the city allows the exploration of the dynamic between city and society and a broader cultural understanding of urban form. London is re-presented as a matrix of key architectural, social and cultural themes, and as the emblematic expression of different kinds of identities relating to gender, class and nationhood.